Cultivated hybrid (no wild range) of E. 'Red Flame' x E. 'Kleiner Bär', bred at the Zoologica nursery, Altlandsberg, Germany
Overview
Paul Kloecker sword is an undemanding hybrid sword for the midground, grown for its red-marbled leaves.
Did you know
Paul Kloecker sword changes shape with the seasons in a nursery greenhouse. Summer leaves stand upright on long stalks, while winter leaves stay small and lie flat on the soil.
Caring for Paul Kloecker sword
Plant Paul Kloecker sword in a nutritious substrate with the crown just above the surface. It feeds through its roots, and iron-rich root tabs help the red.
Strong light brings out the red marbling, and in dim tanks the leaves stay mostly dark green. CO2 is optional but speeds growth. Keep it at 72 to 82°F (22 to 28°C) and a pH of 5.5 to 7.5.
It grows to about 30 cm underwater at a moderate pace. The emersed nursery leaves often die back after planting. Trim the oldest leaves at the base to push out new red growth. Let plantlets on the flower stalks grow roots before you separate them, or divide the rhizome.
Good to know
Paul Kloecker sword is a hybridcultivar in the family Alismataceae. The cultivar is named Paul Klöcker, and US shops spell it Kloecker, the usual way to write ö without the umlaut. Its emersed leaves are dark green with sharp-edged dark red spots. Its underwater leaves are elliptic, and their spots run together into bright red marbling. Red Flame shows the same merging spots. Kleiner Bär has no spots, and Ozelot keeps them separate.
In the wild
Paul Kloecker sword is a hybrid with no wild range, bred at the Zoologica nursery in Altlandsberg, Germany. Its parents are Red Flame, a red selection from the spotted Ozelot, and the red-brown Kleiner Bär. Both parents descend from South American swords of marshes and slow rivers. Nursery plants grown emersed can reach about 60 cm in summer.
Common questions
Does Paul Kloecker sword need to be planted in the substrate?
Yes. Bury the roots and leave the crown, where the leaves join, just above the substrate.
Does Paul Kloecker sword need CO2?
No, but it helps. Paul Kloecker sword can grow without injected CO2, and added CO2 makes it grow faster.
How much light does Paul Kloecker sword need?
Paul Kloecker sword needs high light from a strong planted-tank LED.
Does Paul Kloecker sword need root tabs?
Yes. Paul Kloecker sword draws much of its food through its roots. Push root tabs in near it, or grow it in a nutrient-rich soil.
How do you propagate Paul Kloecker sword?
Paul Kloecker sword propagates by plantlets and rhizome division. Small plantlets form on the plant and can be detached once they have a few roots. Cut the rhizome into pieces with several leaves each, then tie or plant each piece.
How tall does Paul Kloecker sword grow?
Paul Kloecker sword grows to about 11.8 in (30 cm) tall. It grows at a moderate pace.
Low lightMidground7.9 in (20 cm)
Medium lightBackground19.7 in (50 cm)
High lightBackground19.7 in (50 cm)
Medium lightBackground19.7 in (50 cm)